The article begins by introducing Werner syndrome (WS), a rare genetic disorder causing accelerated aging. Patients develop age-related conditions from their twenties, including gray hair, hair loss, cataracts, diabetes, severe skin ulcers, and early death from cardiovascular diseases or cancer. The condition affects approximately nine per million people in Japan and lacks effective treatment options.

Interestingly, a study found that patients with WS model systems and patients had decreased levels of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+), crucial for cellular energy production, DNA repair, and various metabolic processes. This suggested that NAD+ depletion may contribute to the progression of the disease. While direct NAD+ supplementation isn’t feasible in mammals, using its precursor – nicotinamide riboside (NR) from Niagen Bioscience – has shown promising results in animal studies.

A recent study by a research team led by Associate Professor Masaya Koshizaka conducted the world’s first rigorous clinical trial of NR in patients with WS. The paper was co-authored by University President Koutaro Yokote, Assistant Professor Hisaya Kato, Associate Professor Yoshiro Maezawa, and Assistant Professor Mayumi Shoji, all from Chiba University, along with Affiliate Professor Vilhelm Bohr from the University of Copenhagen, Denmark.

The study involved a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of NR supplementation. Researchers tracked NAD+ blood levels, skin ulcer size, arterial stiffness, and kidney function. NR supplementation significantly increased NAD+ levels in patient blood compared to placebo, improved arterial stiffness, reduced skin ulcer area, and appeared to slow the progression of kidney dysfunction – all without any serious side effects.

The results suggest that NR may help protect kidney function, addressing another serious complication of WS. Dr. Yasmeen Nkrumah-Elie commented on the study, stating it represents a significant step forward in understanding how NAD+ restoration with NR may help address the underlying biology of WS.

Dr. Koshizaka concluded by saying that their findings suggest NR could serve as a valuable treatment option for two major symptoms – arteriosclerosis and skin ulcers – as well as for preventing kidney function decline. The results are particularly significant given that untreatable skin ulcers affect well over 70% of patients with WS, often leading to amputation, while cardiovascular disease remains a leading cause of early mortality in this population.

Larger studies are needed to extend these findings, but the pioneering research offers new hope for patients with WS who have long lacked effective treatment options. Beyond its immediate implications for this rare condition, the study also provides valuable insights into the biology of aging and potential interventions to address age-related decline more broadly.

The diabetes pill dapagliflozin has shown promising results in reducing liver scarring in a clinical trial published in The BMJ. The study found that treatment with dapagliflozin improved metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), a condition where excess fat accumulates in the liver, leading to inflammation, and liver fibrosis, a build-up of scar tissue.

The trial involved 154 adults diagnosed with MASH after a liver biopsy at six medical centers in China. Almost half had type 2 diabetes, and almost all had liver fibrosis. The participants were randomly assigned to receive either 10 mg of dapagliflozin or a matching placebo once daily for 48 weeks.

The results showed that treatment with dapagliflozin improved MASH in 53% of participants without worsening of fibrosis, compared to 30% in the placebo group. Resolution of MASH without worsening of fibrosis occurred in 23% of participants in the dapagliflozin group, compared to 8% in the placebo group.

Fibrosis improvement without worsening of MASH was also reported in 45% of participants in the dapagliflozin group, compared to 20% in the placebo group. The percentage of participants who discontinued treatment due to adverse events was 1% in the dapagliflozin group and 3% in the placebo group.

The researchers acknowledged that the trial was conducted in a Chinese population, which limits its broader generalizability, and that female and older patients were under-represented. However, they pointed out that results were consistent after further analyses, suggesting they are robust.

The study’s findings indicate that dapagliflozin may affect key aspects of MASH by improving both steatohepatitis and fibrosis. Large-scale and long-term trials are needed to further confirm these effects.

In the coming years, researchers expect exciting developments in the field of pharmacological treatment for MASH, with more drugs becoming available and therapeutic decisions becoming increasingly tailored to individual patient profiles. Ideally, such treatments should provide cardiovascular benefit, have an established safety profile, and be accessible to broad and diverse patient populations.

A groundbreaking study has revealed that consuming a diverse range of foods rich in flavonoids, such as tea, berries, dark chocolate, and apples, can lower the risk of developing serious health conditions and potentially lead to a longer lifespan. The research, conducted by a team of scientists from Queen’s University Belfast, Edith Cowan University Perth, and the Medical University of Vienna, tracked over 120,000 participants aged 40-70 years old for more than a decade.

Flavonoids are powerful compounds found in plant-based foods like tea, blueberries, strawberries, oranges, apples, grapes, and even red wine and dark chocolate. The study’s findings show that increasing the diversity of flavonoids within your diet can help prevent conditions such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease (CVD), cancer, and neurological diseases.

The research team led by Dr. Benjamin Parmenter, a Research Fellow at ECU, discovered that consuming around 500 mg of flavonoids per day was associated with a 16% lower risk of all-cause mortality, as well as a 10% lower risk of CVD, type 2 diabetes, and respiratory disease. That’s roughly the amount found in two cups of tea.

However, the study revealed that those who consumed the widest diversity of flavonoids had an even lower risk of these diseases, even when consuming the same total amount. For example, instead of just drinking tea, it’s better to eat a range of flavonoid-rich foods to make up your intake, as different flavonoids come from different foods.

The study’s co-lead author, Professor Aedín Cassidy from Queen’s University Belfast, emphasized that higher intakes of dietary flavonoids can reduce the risk of developing heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and neurological conditions like Parkinson’s. The researchers also noted that different flavonoids work in different ways, some improving blood pressure, others helping with cholesterol levels and decreasing inflammation.

The findings are significant as they suggest that consuming a higher quantity and wider diversity of flavonoids has the potential to lead to a greater reduction in ill health than just relying on a single source. The study’s results also align with popular claims that eating colourful foods is invaluable for maintaining good health.

As the first-ever dietary guidelines for flavonoids recommend increasing consumption to maintain health, this study provides inaugural evidence that we may also need to advise increasing diversity of intake of these compounds for optimal benefits. The results provide a clear public health message, suggesting that simple and achievable dietary swaps, such as drinking more tea and eating more berries and apples for example, can help increase the variety and intake of flavonoid-rich foods, and potentially improve health in the long-term.